MANHATTAN, Kan. – Four players registered multi-hit games, but the La Salle University baseball team fell on the road to Kansas State, 9-3, on Friday.
 
After falling behind, 4-0, the Explorers (4-5) worked their way back within a run in the seventh inning. However, the Wildcats (5-4) scored five insurance runs in the seventh and eighth to secure the victory.
 
Junior Ben Faso led the way, going 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI, while classmate Kevin McGowan went 2-for-5 with a run scored. Senior Austin Constantini and sophomore Ryan Guckin each posted two hits apiece as well.
 
Kansas State wasted no time going on top, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a sacrifice fly. The Wildcats then took a 3-0 lead in the third, as Drew Mount hit an RBI triple and later scored on an error. Mount then hit a solo home run in the fifth to push the K-State lead to four.
 
La Salle finally got things going on offense in the sixth inning, scoring a pair of runs to cut the deficit in half. McGowan and Faso hit back-to-back singles and then moved into scoring position with senior Chase Arnold due up.
 
Arnold knocked in McGowan on a single to left to put the Explorers on the board. Faso then came in to score to make it a two-run game when senior Brian Dudeck lifted one to right field.
 
The Explorers pulled within a run in the seventh, 4-3, when Faso came through with an RBI single to score freshman Jack Cucinotta.
 
That was as close as La Salle would come, however, with Kansas State immediately responding with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. The Wildcats added three more runs to make it 9-3 in the eighth on a two-run bomb by Jake Biller and an RBI triple by Mount.
 
Sophomore Matt Holt (0-2) started on the mound for La Salle, giving up six runs (four earned) and nine hits while striking out three over 6.1 innings of work.
 
The two teams will meet again on Saturday, with first pitch slated for 5 p.m. ET.